This paper describes the consonant inventory of the endangered southern African language Nǀuu. Our novel approach to segment classification accounts for all 73 Nǀuu consonants with just four phonetic dimensions (place, manner, phonation, airstream) and does away with the phonetically empty categoryclick accompaniment. We provide ultrasound data showing that the posterior constrictions in clicks are not produced at the ‘velar’ place of articulation, and that posterior place differs with anterior place. We therefore argue for a terminological shift fromvelarictolingualairstream mechanism. Our data also show that the posterior place of articulation is the same in Nǀuu's five lingual ([⊙ ǀ ǃ ǁ ǂ]) and linguo-pulmonic ([]) stops. We argue that the difference between these segment classes is best captured in terms of airstream, not place. Plain clicks use only the lingual airstream, while linguo-pulmonic segments are airstream contours, in which the transition to the pulmonic airstream occurs within the segment rather than at its boundary. Our evidence suggests that the contrast between ‘velar’ and ‘uvular’ clicks proposed for the related language ǃXóõ is likely also one of airstream and that a contrast solely in terms of posterior place would be articulatorily impossible.

Rhenium-oxo complexes with the hydridotris(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl)borate (Tp*) ligand are described. Halide complexes Tp*Re(O)X(Cl) (X ) Cl, I) are prepared by treatment of Tp*Re(O)(OH)Cl with HX. Reaction of Tp*Re(O)Cl 2 (3) with 1 or 2 equiv of LiPh/ZnCl 2 or Et 2 Zn produces the corresponding oxo-aryl and oxo-alkyl complexes Tp*Re(O)(Ph)Cl, Tp*Re(O)(Ph) 2 , and Tp*Re(O)(Et)Cl. Alkoxide complexes Tp*Re(O)(OR)Cl and Tp*Re(O)-(OR) 2 are prepared from 3 and ROH, PhOH, or catechol. Triflate complexes Tp*Re(O)X-(OTf) (X ) halide, H, Et, Ph, OEt, OPh) have been prepared by halide metathesis with AgOTf or by alkoxide metathesis with Me 3 SiOTf. Hydride complexes Tp*Re(O)(H)X (X ) Cl, H) are generated from the corresponding alkoxide complexes with BH 3 ‚THF. Oxidation of Tp*Re-(O)Ph(OTf) with Me 2 SO gives a phenoxide complex, and oxidation of Tp*Re(O)Et(OTf) with pyridine N-oxide gives acetaldehyde. Both reactions are similar to oxidations of related Tp compounds. Tp*Re(O)H( OTf) is oxidized by either reagent to Tp*Re(O) 3 , with liberation of H + ; such a hydride complex has not been accessible in the Tp system. The Tp* ligand imparts added stability to the rhenium(V) derivatives, making preparations easier. Steric constraints of the Tp* ligand are illustrated by the lack of phenyl and pyridine ligand rotation on the NMR time scale. The stability and crowding of the Tp* compounds inhibits reactions with oxygen atom donors so that heating is often required, and the resulting oxidations are more complex than for analogous Tp compounds.

Some current views of phonology assume a single abstract representation for each lexical item, while others assume extensive encoding of fine-grained detail. Some proponents of the latter view have claimed that differences in lexical (token) frequency are manifested as differences in phonetic duration. This claim was investigated in three experiments measuring the phonetic durations of heterographic pairs of homophonous English nouns differing in token frequency. Homophonous pairs were grouped according to magnitude of frequency difference within pairs: large difference (time ∼ thyme), medium difference (pain ∼ pane), and no difference (son ∼ sun). Four participants read (a) words in a list in a frame sentence; (b) target items in composed sentences; and (c) pairs in contrast. No systematic differences of ratio of duration (more frequent/less frequent) were found for individual speakers or across speakers in (a) or (b). Preliminary results for (c) show differences in duration correlated with contrastive focus and final lengthening, but not lexical frequency. The lack of positive correlation between duration and frequency calls into question the hypothesis that greater frequency leads to shorter duration, and underlines the need for a better understanding of the locus of frequency effects in the lexicon and speech production.

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Traill (1985) describes Xoo clicks as having velar posterior constriction locations (PCL). Miller et al. (to appear) show that the PCLs of Khoekhoe alveolar and palatal clicks are uvular and uvulo-pharyngeal. Ladefoged and Maddieson (1996) discuss clicks involving a uvular posterior release location (PRL) (and an implied velar PCL). An ultrasound investigation of velar and uvular pulmonic stops, alveolar and palatal velar clicks, and palatal uvular clicks, in the endangered language N/uu is presented. Results are for 15 repetitions of each consonant in the u context by four of the remaining speakers. The alveolar click has the tongue dorsum (TD) between the velar and uvular stops, and tongue root retraction (TRR) like the uvulars. The TD in the palatal click is also similar to the velar and uvular stops, but there is no TRR. The TD in the uvular palatal click is at the uvulo-phrayngeal location, and there is TRR similar to the uvular stop, in both the closure and the release. TRR in the alveolar-uvular and palatal-uvulo-pharyngeal clicks explains their phonological patterning with uvulars. The lack of TR retraction in the palatal click explains its patterning with velars. [Work supported by NSF, BCS ♯0236735.]